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JOHN SUTTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'IO IIIMSELF AND DE VI'IT C. VAN TUYL, OF SAME PLACE.

coNDENsINe STEAM-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,246, dated May 31, 1859'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SUTTON, of the I city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condensing Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure'l, represents a sectional elevation of an engine with my improvements applied, taken in a plane parallel with the plane of revolution of the crank. Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation of the same, in a plane parallel with the aXis of the crank shaft.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The engine represented in the drawing as having the invention applied is of the kind known as the beam engine, that form of engine serving as well as any other to illustrate its application to use. The cylinder A, may have any kind of valve or system of valves for the induction and eduction of steam, the slide valve B', being represented as the simplest means for the purpose. 'Ihe valve or valves may be operated by the usual eccentric C, on the crank shaft D; and the connection of the crank E, and piston F, with the beam G may be by the usual connecting rod H, and piston rod I.

J, is the air pump, which is also the condenser, itted with a tight piston K, whose attached rod K1, works through a stuffing boX in its cover J1, and provided on one side with a valve chest L, to which i s con-- nected the eduction pipe a, from the 'cylinder A, the said chest being fitted with a slidevalve b, by which two passages c, c1, leading to opposite ends of the air pump may be alternately opened and closed. At the lower end of the air pump there is a passage f1, communicating through a foot valve g1, with the hot well M, which, for convenience is arranged below the air pump; and at the upper end of the air pump there is a passage f, which passes partly around the air-pump cylinder and communicates through a foot valve g, with the hot well. These passages f, f1, are entirely separate from each other. The cover J1, of the air pump and the sole plate J 2, are both made hollow to receive the cold water for the condensation of steam and both are perforated with numerous small holes to let the inj ection water into the pump in showers.

The cavities in the cover J1, and the sole plate J 2, are supplied alternately at proper intervalsiwith cold water by two pipes d1, cl2, branching from the main injection pipe d, which is fitted at the junction of the branches with a cock or valve e, of such character as to permit the water to be directed through either of the branch pipes d1, d2, but not through both at the same time. The branch pipe all, where it passes through the hot well, and the plate J 2, should be incased to protect them from the heat of the water and vapor that is contained in the hot well below the mouth of the waste pipe 71..

'Ihe valve of the air-pump is connected with lthe arm t', of a rock shaft N, which derives motion from the eccentric C1, and which constitutes a portion of the gear for Working the valve B, of the cylinder A. The construction of the slide valve and arrangement of the ports of the valve chest L, arek such that the valve will just cover both ports and commence opening either one immediately after it has closed the other; and the relative arrangement of the connections of the two valves B, and Z2, is such that the valve Z), commences to open the one port c, of the air pump just as the valve B, commences opening the lower port of the cylinder to the eduction pipe c, and the other port c1, just as thervalve B, commences opening the upper cylinder port to the eduction pipe c. The drawing represents the connections of the said valves B, and so arranged that the lower air pump port c1,

opens as the lower cylinder port opens to'y the-eduction pipe, and the vupper air-pump port c, opens as the upper cylinder port opens to the eduction pipe, but the arrangement may be precisely the reverse.

The injection cock e, is connected by a rod u, with an armfu, on a rock shaft l, which derives motion from the air pump piston K, in the manner to be hereinafter described, to'open the branches d, d1, alternately, the branch leading to either end of the air pump being opened while its piston is moving toward the opposite end.

The operation of the air pump by the pressure of the exhaust steam is as follows. The air pump piston, at the time of the commencement of the opening of either port of the cylinder to the eduction pipe, asV the steam piston arrives at or near either end of its stroke, is stationary near one end of the; with a vacuum on both sides "5 of it, the vacuum being produced as Will be presently explained, and the Weight of the piston being balanced by the Weight of the mechanism to be hereinafter described, by which it is made to help the crank past the n Veenters, or by ,other suitable means.

stcompleting its upward stroke, as din the drawing, the air' pump Y with lmore Vor less perfect ye and below, andthe branch d1,

j j l i"tion pipe Would be" injecting cold Water iritlthe pump above its piston; but as sddiifasfthebp'ening of the lower end of the `lcylii1der to tane ihing or the lower port c1, of thel air oommenee, the exhaust steam Y e" air' pump below its piston ferries? the latter upward and' so disgetli'el Water which has collected above it ihtfthefpassage f, from' whence it passes throjt hltthe foot valve g, to the hot tvell. or the steam belotv the piston ,have been' previously in the'p'as'- .The stroke of the air pump Ais See", r compl it' seen't, and descends' only a: very Short infth etrke er the air pump; and the lewe'r brae A, ifemaining portion vof the stro'leV of 4fpist0n, se'that the said pieten has or`m'a'y-have a vacuum produced` below it throughout all but a very short portion' orV it'sf st 1Aleat the commencement thereof.

Wl Lthe openingof theupper end- 'ofthe -rsteaprylinder te the entretien pipe and Si: multanequs opening er the upper per-t e, orftlilemalir pump commences, there being a vacuuiiifbelovv the air' pump piston `as has lju'stfbeerif described, the pressure or the exhaus'tisteam acting above the airpump pistonff'or'es it dotvii to the bottom or the air' pu'ipfbhanging the position of the `cc'xl e,

1n itsrdescent, to close the loyv'er branch a?,

" .,.and pen the upper branch di, of the inje'c` sertiedabove the air pum'p piston during'V the vvh'ol weinainin'g, portion of the aseent of the steanif'lpiston. The' steam `aclmittedit'o` the airnitmp through the port 0, also drives out throughthe valve g, all the water that' may have previously remained in' the passage f.

`It shpld be obseriied that the perforated botte'mjff the air pump should be so formed u v`that' the Water will not return through the 6 tper'forations but will run toward the pas- 'ffor example the steam piston to the eduction pipe, andthe simule es' out thrugh the, valve g1, what.;

eteti while the Steam piste-n completesanheiand the upper branch di, of `the piper is closed at' an 'early period is pened beforethelstrolefis" cdfipletedl and continues open during thel 'titionpipe and causing a vacuum to be pre'-V 1sage fifb'y gravitation, and this passage should be suliiciently capacious to prevent the Water rising or accumulating above the perforated bottom.

It Will be understood by the foregoingex- ,pla-nation that, a portion of the exhaust steam after every stroke of the steam piston operates the air pump during a small portion ofthe succeeding stroke and is Vthen condensed in the a-ir pump, as in an ordi-` nary condenser to produce avacuum in front of the steam` piston, as W'ell as'in the air I pump itself.

If ever .found in practiee to be necessary, theV air pump piston beheld stationary atthe end of its` strokein either direction hy any Suitable lecliailcl `D'itllfllili and out of gear at' the proper time'.

By this mode of ope`ration,`,the air'piimp instead of its being Worked at so great'lan eXpenseof poiv'er as to producean el'ect equal only te frein 4 tb 5 pounds. square inch of the st'eani piston, is' rendered autojfnatie, and 1 the full heneiit ofthe vacuum produced-in it while acting as the lceiide'neer, is obtained en' et'eant pieten throughout nearly its whole stroke, and besileethis the exhaust steam, in its aetien either"` -irte ef the air pump piston While' there i's" a vacuum en the other side will produhe mere po'wer than is required to overcame friction `of the said piston and effect `the dischargegf Vthe water, and' this;L surplus pewerfinabf employed various `vvays',4 for" Instance iii werking' pumps; for raising the water for' Condensation, infA drivinpg, lelew'ars,i or for many ether duties aheerding'togthe pur;

poses to which the enginejislappliembut portion, if not the'vvliole ofv such power may be very advantageously' employed? help; ing theerank er cranks of the past their centers; TheJ mechanism fer'tjr'ansinit;``

ting the power of the airprnnptntfhe of the l engine for,thelatterpurposemay be` of various kinds, but I have represented that which I considerY the best and Whieh y'vills at i least serve as' well as any other'` to illustrate the employment of thegpovverlor tlialjpui-,` pose. This mechanism' I ivill' new proceed todesc11`ibe`. The airpumppisto rod isfrur# nisheell with a cresshead P, which werks;`

suitable guides j, j, `and' which? is connected by a. rod Za, atl each 'a' rorlidfor double lever Q, Whose fulcrum is a roelt` shaft Z, sltii'at'ed.directlypunder` and parallel With the crank shaft. Thisleverfisvveighted at T, to counterbalabefthe Weightofthe air pump piston and pistnrodS and other ap-A pendages The erossehead'P, islfrthe'reohnected by a rod or rodsih'v, yvitlra lever R",

whose rulcruni is arehlfshaft a?, werking lineal` bearings Conveniently Situated*en` the upper part or the engine framing, the said lever R, being connected by a pinV l2-and red g, with -a lever S, vvh'o's'e fuleriunl isti a rock shaft r, situated directly over and parallel with the crank shaft andV at the same distance therefrom as the rock shaft Z. The rock shafts above mentioned all work in suitably arranged fixed bearings, the bearings of S, and Q, being so arranged that the axes of their rock shafts or fulcra and the axis of the crank pin V, are all in the same plane when the crank pin is on either of its centers or dead points.

The lever Q, has a long arm, to which the air pumppiston is connected and a shorter arm which has a -I'ork s, at its extremity, the length of the said shorter arm being such that a toot-h t, at the extremity of the crank E, is capable of engaging with its fork s, and working in combination therewith in a substantially similar manner to the cogs of gearing. The lever S, is of the same length as the shorter arm of the lever Q, and has a similar fork s at its extremity.

The levers Q, R, S, severally derive from the air pump piston, through the connections above described, an oscillating motion. AThe lever R, is so proportioned that the lever S, whose duty it is to move, is caused to make a movement of the same length of sweep as the shorter arm of the lever Q; and the length of the lever S, and shorter arm of the lever Q, are so proportioned to the length of the crank E, that either of the two, as the crank passes around with its tooth t, in gear with it, will only remain in gear with the crank while the stroke of the air pump is made, and no longer.

It is desirable in applying the surplus power of the air pump piston to act upon the shaft either by the agency of this or any other mechanism that the exhaust of the steam from the cylinder should be permitted to commence just before the piston F, arrives at the end of the stroke, as has been a common practice with many engineers. rlhe object of this is to permit the stroke of the air pump piston to take place during the concluding portion of each stroke of the piston F, and corresponding portion of its return stroke, in order that the air-pump piston should come in action upon the crank before it arrives on its centers, and remain in action thereon till after it has passed its centers.

l/Vith this system of exhausting the steam, the operation of the above described mechanism is as follows. The valve B, and its eccentric and wo-rking gear, represented in the drawing as set to produce the rotary motion of the crank in the direction of the arrow 1, shown near it, and the mechanism connect with the air pump piston arranged to suit. The crank as represented in black outline as just arriving on its lower center, and the air-pump piston (as has been before mentioned) about to commence its upward stroke. The tooth t, of the crank has just arrived within the fork s, of the lever Q, which has been waiting in a stationary condition to receive it. The upward stroke of the air pump piston, now commencing, moves the lever Q, toward the position shown in red outline, moving its fork s, in the direction of the arrow 2, shown near it, and causing the said fork to press against the tooth t, and assist the crank in its motion till the said lever and crank both arrive at the position represented in red outline, and the air pump piston has completed its upward stroke, when the tooth t, of the crank as movedv to a position to pass out of the fork s, and leave the latter stationary, while the crank, which has passed its center, proceeds in its revolut-ion.

The air pump piston, in its upward stroker while it operates on the lever Q, as above described, moves the lever` S, from the position shown in black outline to that shown in red, so that its work s, may be in readiness to receive the tooth t, of the crank at t-he instant of the commencement of the downward stroke of the air pump piston, which, by causing the said lever to move to the position shown in black outline carries or helps the crank past its upper center in the same manner as the lever Q, carried it past the lower one, and then leavesit free to proceed with its revolution. The downward 'stroke of the air pump piston carries the lever Q, to its first specified position, and leavesthe fork s, in readiness toreceive the tooth t, of the crank as the latter arrives near its lower center.

Instead of applying the surplus power of the air pump piston to the ordinary crank of the engine through which the steam piston transmits its rotary motion, it may be applied in the same manner to a separate crank or arm specially provided and attached to the shaft for the purpose, or be applied through any suitable means to some other part of the engine.

In the employment of the surplus power of the air pump to aid the crank in its revolution in an engine provided with the means of reversal, the valve must be so connected with the valve gear which operates the eduction or induction steam valve or valves as to be capable of reversing the action of the air pump, for either end of the steam cylinder will require to communicate with one or the other end of the air pump, according to the direction in which the crank is to revolve.

My improvement is also capable of use with advantage in high pressure or noncondensing engines. In that case it is only necessary to so arrange a cylinder and piston K, with suitable valves, that the 'exhaust steam shall escape into the atmosph`ere after operating said piston, instead of being submitted to the water jet. An economical advantage V Will ensue Without condensation, provided a piston K, is arranged to receive a fullV stroke from the exhaust steam While the steam piston is just completing and conr- Vmencing a stroke. l

By the term steam-engine asV employed in this specification, it is my intention to embrace all engines Worked by the pressure of a vapor `or gaseous body capable of condensation by Contact With cold Water or liquid, as my invention is applicable tosuch engines as Well as to those actuated by steam. I d'o not broadly cla-im the combination of acondensing cylinder and air-pump, as that is described in the English patent of PilbroW, 1841, but having described my inven-` tion, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. The arrangement ofA the combined airpump and condenser piston K,` to' act inde` pendently `of the Walking beam of the engine, so that a portion of the exhaust steam', While the piston F is just completing and commencing a strol`re`,s'hall" impart a full stroke to* the pistonl K`, as herein shovvniand described.

2. The arrangements and combinati'oii of the forked levers Q; S, the crank E, leVerR,

and' piston-rod K, so that by the action? of the piston K, the crank E, will be assistedin passing the dead points,V but during other portions* of the cranklmovementn the'` parts above-named will be disconnected from the crank E3 all substantially as hereinA `show'vn and=` described. y JOHN SUTTON.

Witnesses: v

HENRY T; BROWN; R. BJEKLEN'. 

